Recess: A New Era
by idq3199
Summary: A series of one-shots about a new set of 3rd streeters, most of whom are in fourth grade, the character Alabaster in fifth. It starts in Fall 2011. It is overdramatic like Recess , but light and fun. Enjoy, read, and review!


**Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction. This is a next-generation sort of thing, which is unusual for Recess, but something I enjoyed. This is just one "episode", of sorts, which is basically a one-shot. I might add more one-shots from time to time, but don't _expect _any updates. Please read and review! I wrote this all in one sitting, so it might not be that good. It is set in modern times, so the gang should be in their 20s...not really a next-gen, actually.  
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EPISODE ONE: Operation K

"It's quiet. Too quiet." Mary Fuller's thin lips were pursed together, her eyes bugging out as she scanned the playground. Her thin, withered foot, with pulsating veins sticking out, tapped impatiently on the ground as she narrowed her eyes, trying to spot trouble-making kids.

Yet, Ms. Fuller was in a state of denial. There hadn't been trouble-making kids for years. Recess was, in short, a sort of naptime for the children. King Daniel was sprawled across his throne, his snores echoing from across the playground. His fan girl was seated, leaning against his throne, texting furiously on her cell phone. The video gamers were, obviously, playing video games. The girly girls were whispering fresh gossip in each other's ears and giggling, while glaring at other tribes of girly girls. Some were texting as well. The athletic kids had their iPods and PSPs out, and were watching soccer games, moaning and cheering with the players as they missed and scored. The nerdy kids had their noses buried into books, and the Asian Mathletes were racing each other in math games on their calculators.

The only children that were acting like, well, children, were the kindergartners. They were like the kindergartners before them, painted with bright and shocking war paint, wearing the clothing of Native Americans that lived in the land many a years ago, though their feathers were made out of paper. They brandished long, pointy art brushes and yard sticks, and danced around a fire, a teddy bear perilously balanced above it. Their king was most certainly not asleep-he was chanting the mighty gibberish, willing their imaginary friends to respect their offerings and bless them with many a toy and game.

Ms. Fuller decided to dive in, take a closer look of her oh-so-quiet playground. Once upon a time, a teacher would have rejoiced at the sight of such a playground, the children quiet and calm. Yet, Ms. Fuller understood what was missing. They were not children-they were mini-teenagers and adults. There was something too wrong with that.

She stormed over to one of the video gaming clans, hanging out by the monkey bars on Old Rusty. She was on the opposite side of the playground, and Spy Kid immediately picked up on the signal of her incoming footsteps. Spy Kid immediately dropped his equipment and told his surrounding friends, who in turn told the people surrounding them, who did the same thing, and so forth. As everyone received the message that Fuller was on the prowl, they buried their illegal equipment in pre-dug holes, and quickly covered it up, and sat on the areas. It was an enormous ripple effect, and the students were masters of information conveyance. The entire playground was clean within minutes.

"I know you're doing something, Brock," Ms. Fuller snarled at Spy Kid. She was not one for the childish nicknames and slang. The rest of the boys snickered at the unfitting name. "You know the rules about invasive technologies! Turn out your pockets-that goes for the rest of you boys, too."

Spy Kid and his gaming cohorts looked wildly around for some sort of diversion or escape because, as Ms. Fuller expected, they had been hoarding many a packet of gum and rare gaming card, the gaming cards counting as toys from home and therefore banned. Their savior arrived in the form of a smartly dressed Politics Boy.

Politics Boy was a bright, intelligent fifth grader who was constantly getting kids out of trouble with his immense knowledge of not only the Constitution of the Playground, but the city, state, and national rights for kids. He was a shorter fifth grader, with small glasses permanently crooked, who always wore a simple suit to school. His rough, curly brown hair spiraled from his head, and his eyes were bright and animated from behind his glasses, a sparkling blue.

"Ms. Fuller, I believe we have an excellent case of a violation of Mr. Foster's personal rights as-"

"Can it, Christopher. I will send you to detention, politics or no politics," Ms. Fuller interrupted crudely. The threat was not effective.

"Very well, Ms. Fuller. I would advise you to remember that my mother currently holds a prominent position on the Board of Education, and will have you pay for your misuse of authority and rights as a teacher. Unless you receive the proper warrant or approval from the BOE, you can't search any student. Of course, if these students wish to tell you anything or give you anything, then that would be acceptable," Politics Boy said smarmily, smirking at Ms. Fuller victoriously. Ms. Fuller gave Spy Kid a resigned look.

"We got nothing," Spy Kid set immediately, his friends quickly stuttering in agreement. Ms. Fuller leaned in, and said in a quiet, rasping voice,

"You're lucky your pal saved you here this time. I will find out eventually." Ms. Fuller stormed off, leaving Politics Boy with the gamers.

"Thanks, Politics Boy," Spy Kid said, grinning.

"Happy to be of service. I believe you have the stuff," Politics Boy asked expectantly, referring to an earlier deal they had struck.

"One copy of the Artemis Liberty:Astounding Attorney video game right here," Spy Kid said, handing him the video game. Politics Kid looked at it in awe, before giving Spy Kid a pair of spy goggles.

"This isn't supposed to be released in America until June!" Politics Kid said gleefully. "Is it in English?"

"Of course!" Spy Kid assured him.

Meanwhile, Ms. Fuller had carried her intentions over to the next victim. The gang of Mathletes, all who happened to be Asians, were hanging out on top of a plastic table, looking nervous. Their high-tech calculators were safely buried away.

"And what might you students be up to?" Ms. Fuller asked suspiciously. They're near-perfect grades and perfect attendance records made no impression upon her.

"We're doing math, Ms. Fuller. We're applying to the National Institute for the Scientifically and Mathematically Gifted," Lisa Arakawa immediately replied, bright and prompt. She was a sixth grader, and leader of the Mathletes, one of two Japanese students in the entire school.

"I just wanted to inform you students that any calculator that can perform functions beyond mathematics, such as typing or games is, in an elementary school setting, considered an electronic and a toy and will be confiscated," Ms. Fuller rattled off.

"We are aware of that, Ms. Fuller," Lisa said easily, cutting across the nervous stutterings of her friends.

"Thank you, Lisa," Ms. Fuller said. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the Mathletes. They could fear the intensity of her glare burned into their faces, as their eyes darted around wildly. Lisa was the only one that could handle the pressure. "Fine." Ms. Fuller sounded bitter and filled with vengeance. "I have other students to interroga-_talk to…_"

Let us take a break from our story and regard the mythical Teacher's Lounge. The Teacher's Lounge consists of many rooms, a majority of them recreational. These include a fitness room, meditation room, spa room, among others. Then there are, of course, those rooms in which the most secretive of teacher meetings are conducted.

The most serious issues are discussed every Friday, at promptly 2:52. These meeting occur in The Situation Room, a high-tech room. The walls are constantly flashing and beeping as they update new data, statistics, and theories on the modern elementary schoolers. There is an enormous table in which all the faculty sit around as they debate the latest hot topic issue. There was only one issue to discuss the particular Friday in which this scene begins. Mary Fuller brought it to the table.

"Code Brown. That's all I got for you. Code Brown," Ms. Fuller snarled. Everyone around the table underwent a momentary state of shock before the outcries ensued.

"No!"

"It can't be!"

"We haven't had a true Code Brown since the Zombie Class of '85!"

"You aren't out with those kids like I am," Ms. Fuller snarled softly. "They're all sleeping…or, or playing with their little video games, or…or texting on their cell phones. It's madness, I tell you, madness! Parents complaining about too short recess, not enough exercise. I remember when _I _was a child-"

"Thank you, we get the point Mary," one Janet Austen cut across quickly. She was a fourth grade teacher, one held in both regard and infarmy; regard for her creative and intuitive teaching

style, infamy for her insistence on playing loud rock music at every opportunity. "Besides, you can't _force_

kids to run around and act like idiots. You just can't. What are you going to say? _You. Play. _They won't know what to do. They'll hate it!"

"We can institute a school wide policy to make them run laps around the playground, it will give them some exercise," Principal Banks suggested.

"Janet is right, force won't work. Those kids have something deep in them, and laps aren't going to bring anything out of them. I have a better idea."

Mary Fuller was not an unprepared woman. She quickly pulled out a thick manila folder. On the top of it, in large, red letters, it read "OPERATION K." She handed it to Principal Banks, grinning. Principal Banks flipped through it, before smiling maliciously.

"Excellent, Mary Fuller. Just excellent."

That afternoon, the Mathletes met at Lisa's house for an important day. They had all sent in their applications and taking the entrance exams for the National Institute for the Mathmetically and Scientifically Gifted, also known as NIMSG. The results had been mailed to them. They all held their blue envelopes in their hands, though their hands were shaking as they stared at them.

"I'm so nervous!"  
>"This school determines our entire future!"<p>

"We can always apply next year."

"Sixth graders can't apply next year," Lisa said sadly. "I don't get it. The school is for third through twelfth graders, though seventh and up can't apply!"

"I'm sure _you'll _get in, Lisa."

"Thanks. Here-on three, we all open the results together. One….two….three!"

All of the Asians rapidly ripped open the envelops, and unfolded their letters. The expressions on almost all of their faces rapidly saddened, some of them looking almost angry. They sighed, their backs slouching with no energy. Many dropped their on the floor.

"I GOT IN, I GOT IN!" Lisa screeched, the only exception. "Who else made it?" The other Asians gave her plain looks. "Ah. That's…interesting."

"What are you going to do, Lisa?" Lisa's best friend asked in great worry.

"I don't know," Lisa admitted. "I don't want to go without you guys, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"I guess you have a lot to think about…"

The next day at Recess, Mary Fuller found herself in front of the kindergarten pen. The large stone structure loomed above her as her actions truly weighed on her. She understood the necessity, the duty as assistant principal in charge of extracurricular supervision. Lunch, recess, bus duty, detention; Mary did it all. She had quickly hardened and understood her duties as a teacher, but the action was hardcore. Mary decided to count it down in her head.

"Five…."

Her hand twitched.

"Four…"

Her lips pressed together.

"Three…."

Images of lazy children whirled through her mind.

"Two…."

She took a confident step forward…

"One…"

The door opened. It was as if Mary had never touched it. It was an involuntary, quick, and jerky action.

Kindergartners. They poured out, shrieking at the top of their lungs, waving their art supplies and yard sticks. The big kids were woken up from their Recess lull. Spy Kid picked up the incoming attack with his spy equipment. He grabbed his stuff and ran from the scene, hugging them to his chest in fright. The bodyguards, for once, took action, as they surrounded King Daniel in a tight huddle, escorting him to his secret safehouse beyond the abandoned playground. One student wouldn't be attacked. The fan girl was left unprotected.

The chaos was loud and violent. The kindergartners brandished enormous sticks, whacking big kids with them with no regrets. The older children were defenseless, but they employed the only method that they knew- they ran. The athletes, who did sports outside of school, were faster than the nerds, who lagged behind. Eventually, all the students were corralled and captured. King Daniel, from his comfortable safehouse, sent out a bodyguard to surrender.

The big kids were pushed into cages, that were in a huge circle in the abandoned playground behind the modern playground. The kindergartners at first guarded them, but as the afternoon hit its peak, their energy was drained, and they dropped to sleep, not to be woken for a long time.

In one cage, an unusual assortment of students sat. Emily Wu, Asian Mathlete and close friend of Lisa Arakawa. Spy Kid, video gamer and, (possibly) future spy. Taylor Harris, somehow in contact with a majority of the student body and having an immense knowledge of their private gossip in addition. Finally, Jackson King, a hardcore athlete. None of these students spoke to each other, so their conversation was nil as they stared hopelessly out into the beyond.

"I can't believe this happening," Jackson moaned.

"How did they even get out?" Taylor asked sharply.

"The only way for the kindergartners to escape is for someone on the outside to let them outside. No one would do that- it's against the Constitution of the Playground, Amendment 57k," Emily rattled off easily. "Unless they had the equipment to scale the wall and climb out."

"Guys, check this out," Spy Kid said. He peered through his binoculars, before passing them to the other students. They all saw one important thing; the kindergarten gate was slightly open. Someone had let them out for sure.

"Oh my god! What idiot would have like, done that?" Taylor shrieked.

"This is from freaking messed up stuff," Jackson said slowly. "None of us kids would do it. Maybe it's a ghost or something, an apparition from beyond.

"Don't be stupid Daniel. It wouldn't have-it _couldn't _have been. Ghosts don't exist," Spy Kid said decidedly. "Believe me, I've tried to find them. It would have to have been someone on the playground. That means any of us kids, and there are _tons _of us, or it could have been Ms. Fuller. All of the other teachers have left. Now, Ms. Fuller wouldn't have-"

"Why wouldn't Ms. Fuller have done it? She hates us! She is probably loving this right now!" Taylor said fiercely.

"Be logical, Taylor," Emily implored. "She would get into so much trouble if the BOE found out."

"The Board of Education would let her off if they thought what she was doing was _educational_," Spy Kid pointed out in a half-whine.

"This is so not educational," Taylor asserted. "This sucks." Taylor folded her arms and slouched in the cage, pouting.

"Psst."

"Who's that?" Spy Kid asked in alarm.

"A ghost!" Jackson said immediately.

"Look!" Emily said sharply. The four students turned to the left, where they saw a scrawny looking fifth grader, his face pressed against the walls of the cage.

"Oh, hi….um…Al-Alabaster," Taylor stammered. "What is it?"

"These fifth graders aren't going to listen to me, they're too busy arguing. But we have to bust out of here! These kindergartners are going to keep us here forever. If they are awake, then we have no chance, but while they are asleep, we can pull it off! We must shoulder the burden of the brave soldier, we must fight for our freedom to live and love!" Alabaster whispered furiously. The four kids I the other cage looked at each other in amusement and bemusement, before turning back to him.

"Poetry aside, that is the most logical course of action…"Emily conceded. "But how do we bust out of these cages? They are masterfully constructed!"

"Does anyone have a knife or something kinda like that?" Jackson asked stupidly.

"We all only have whatever we were using back at the playground. I have my DS and my spy equipment."

"I have my cell phone and my notebook."

"I have my calculator and my math workbook."

"I have my PSP-it has soccer games on it."

"What we need is to communicate, first and foremost. The only reason that this school functions is because of that," Spy Kid decided immediately. "Taylor, get texting. Everyone you know, tell them to think of ways to bust out of here. Jackson may be on to something-here's my goggles, look for sharp rocks. I'll be on the lookout for kindergartners."

"What about me?" Emily asked, hurt. "And Alabaster?"

"Just go…do something," Spy Kid dismissed them quickly. Emily turned to Alabaster, annoyed.

"There's no rocks nearby, I know that," Emily said immediately to Alabaster.

"Perhaps if we have some sort of device that could _ram _through the cages," Alabaster suggested.

"We need to build up speed to ram, though," Emily pointed out. They both sat in thought for a moment, until Emily started looking around.

"I see a bunch of sharp rocks, Spy Kid!" Jackson said excitedly, pointing off in the distance.

"That's too far to reach," Spy Kid grumbled. Suddenly, Emily's face lit up as she got an idea.

"Taylor! Tell everyone that I have the perfect plan!" Emily said gleefully. She immediately explained her plan to the other children, who rapidly agreed. Taylor contacted the others, and the plan began.

It was to _roll _the cages. Considering the fact that the cages were square, it was quite hard to get them to push over and go forward. It took all of their strength and energy, but all the students were on board with it, and many involuntarily pushed others ahead. The most terrifying task was steering clear of the kindergartners, especially considering that they could wake up any minute. At one point, a snapped twig made a rather loud sound, and everyone winced. The king kindergartner stirred, but did not wake.

Slowly but surely, the cages migrated across the vast abandoned playground to the land of sharp rocks, where they cut the ropes and freed themselves. Spiked with the adrenaline rush of freedom, many of the students forgot the sleeping kindergartners, and cheered loudly, high fiving and hugging and squealing. Immediately, the kindergartners jumped up, pointing their spears at them and snarling.

"Big kid! You cage!" the king kindergartner ordered.

"You'll have to fight us first!" Milo Greene yelled viciously. He picked up a sharp rock.

"NO!" Alabaster shouted decisively, stepping towards the king kindergartner. He got down onto his knees, and look the kid straight in the eye. "This madness must cease! We big kids can coexist with you kindergartners."

"You food! You food!" the king kindergartner insisted.

"No. We are just like you, only a little bigger with a some more facts. But we were once you, and you will one day be us. How does our differences matter? We are still the same, for we share this place. You don't harm us, and we will not harm you. How does that sound, o great king?" Alabaster asked kindly. The kindergartners thought for a moment.

"Big kid nice. Kindygartners go bye-bye!" the king declared. Once more, the students cheered, but many disappointedly dropped the rocks. The kindergartners turned to leave.

"Wait!" Taylor yelled suddenly. The kindergartners turned around. "Where is King Daniel and his bodyguards? I only see the fan girl!"

"Special kindygartners took care of _them_," the king kindergartner explained, grinning maliciously. He had not completely lost his prejudice against the big kids. "Took to special place. Big kid scary. Big kid need to be taken care of."

"Do those kindergartners know we are at peace?" Alabaster asked in immediate worry, already knowing the answer.

"Big kid far away...big kid never coming back. Big kid made kindygartners go ouch on the big wall. Big kid not smart like Ally-batter," the king kindergartner said slowly. "We no know where special place is. Only special kindygartner know where special place is."

"We have to save them!" Alabaster cried. "We must charge half a league, half a league, into the valley of death!"

"They are probably well fortified in this secret base of theirs," Emily said immediately. "If we all attack them at once. We'll get shot down. We need to send out preliminary scouts to find and understand the area without detection. Who wants to go?"

There was immediate silence as everyone looked around at each other nervously, trying to subtly convince others to go instead of them.

"I...I'm going to go," Jackson stuttered suddenly, stepping forward. "It could be a really cool adventure. We defeated the kindergartners before, didn't we?"

"I too shall offer my services," Alabaster decided, stepping forward. "There is nothing for me here, anyways."

"Count me in," Taylor said brightly. "I just sit around talking. Now, I can _do _something."

"RIDICULOUS!" All of her friends squealed at the top of their lungs. None made any attempt to join.

"I can go," Spy Kid said mildly, looking at his video game buddies. "I have the proper equipment."

"I would join, but I'm afraid I won't be of any use," Lisa said quietly. "I hate to sacrifice you, Emily, but you were the one that freed us. You should go!"

"Lisa, you're the smart one. _You_ got into NIMSG," Emily said miserably.

"So I can punch numbers in to a calculator and memorize facts and figures. There's a place for that, I guess, but here is not the place. Please go, Emily," Lisa begged softly. Emily hated disappointing her best friend-heck, her idol! She had always revered Lisa.

"I'll-I'll go," Emily stammered, not understanding the words that were pouring out of her mouth. "I'll do it. Taylor, bring your cell phone. We'll text you guys where the place is, and you guys will have to come in and help us attack."

"Got it, chief," Milo Greene said mockingly. He winked and saluted her.

"Shall we set off, fellow spies?" Alabaster asked excitedly.

"We shall," Taylor agreed, her eyes sparkling with adventure. "Does anyone around here know what could have happened to them? Fan Girl?"

"I have a name, you know," the fan girl said haughtily. "I'm Isabella. I know what's _supposed_ to happen. In times of emergency, the guards have been trained to protect King Daniel at all costs. They quickly escort him to his secret safe house within the woods that are beyond the abandoned playground. Right within there, actually." Isabelle pointed at the trees to their right. "They must have been overpowered on the path there."

"I guess we should go down there," Jackson said stupidly. Emily shot him an amused look.

"And we're off! Remember our brave souls if we're eaten alive!" Alabaster cried, before marching into the forest. The other four hastened to follow him. They were not so much given a goodbye.

The journey was long, the journey was perilous. There was the occasional rustling in the trees, which made them jump, but they continued. At one point, they found a Bonky head, no body in sight.

"That's disgusting," Taylor remarked mildly, as she held it by the very tips of her fingers. She dropped it with a cringe and continued. Jackson, behind her, made particular care to squash it with his feet.

"We can't be far now," Emily said wearily. "We've been walking for ages."

"Hey, look at that!" Alabaster said excitedly. "I do believe I see a structure in the distance! Have our perils finally been solved?"

"That could be the safehouse that he was _supposed _to go to," Spy Kid reminded the others.

They wandered in the direction, the blurry brown shape coming into focus. It was a small, simple wooden house, and it seemed completely deserted.

"It could be a trap," Jackson whispered.

"I don't see or hear anything," Spy Kid said, frustrated. "Kindergartners can't be that silent, they will whisper or giggle."

"Maybe its the safe house, like you thought," Emily said. "Let's go in and take a closer look."

Hesitantly, the five made their way over. Jackson rashly opened the door, but there was no response. Upon wandering inside, they all gasped loudly. It was certainly the safe house. It was fit for a king.

There were stacks and stacks and stacks of comic books all neatly arranged by type and time period. Some of them seem to date back from King Morty's rule, they were that old. There was also tons of food, neatly stored away on shelves on the wall. None of it was healthy. There were tons of shelves dedicated to every type of chips sold in America, ranging from the classic Lay's to the new low-calerie ones. There were all sorts of candies and chewies, from the artificial fruit snacks to winger dingers. It was amazing.

There were lots of board games and card decks stacked up against a wall, and a gigantic purple couch to sit on. There were lots of posters on the walls and the like. Some of them were incredibly old. One of them was a Beatle's poster straight out of the '60s. In the back, there was a ladder leading to a hole in the ceiling. The bodyguards could stay on the roof and protect possible incoming attacks. The king could last here for hours.

"I can't believe that he has all this _stuff_," Taylor said heatedly. "Just waiting for him if the slightest thing happens. He's the king, so he can send who he likes to the dodgeball wall or institute any kind of tax he wants, yet he just tries to run off and hide while his stupid bodyguards protect him?"

"It's not fair," Jackson growled.

"Maybe we'll be able to see where the kindergartners took him if we go on the roof," Spy Kid suggested.

"I don't know if I want to save him after this," Emily whined. "Maybe he deserves it for being such a coward."

"No matter his sins or crimes, he is a person and a person deserves freedom. We can reprimand him after we save him," Alabaster said boldly. The others gave him annoyed looks. "We should at least save his bodyguards, they didn't do anything." This sentiment they agreed with, so they followed Spy Kid up to the roof, wondering if there were any more surprises on top.

What they did not expect was one sole, tiny kindergartner crying softly. The four fourth graders and sole fifth grader looked at each other in intense alarm, at a loss as to what to do. It could be a trap, and any attempt at comforting him could bring on an out pour of waiting kindergartners, spears and water balloons ready. Alabaster finally stepped forward.

"Sweet kindergartner, do tell what is troubling you," Alabaster said softly, crouching by the small, crying figure. A small boy with a chocolate complexion, stared up at him. His clothes were stained with tears, and his eyes were a bright red.

"Those other children were mean to me," he moaned. The big kids felt a jolt of surprise-he talked like a second grader, practically. "I was one of the students sent to capture the King, and when they told me what they were going to do to him, I refused, and they told me that I was banished from the other kindergartners, and that I was a failure. They chased me out, waving their big spears, and I came here. My only friend is with the other kindergartners back at the main playground, and I don't know what happened to her."

"The conflict has been resolved, and the kindergartners are friendly to all the big kids except for the king," Alabaster explained quickly. "And we can be your friends. We'll need you to help us, though."

"You're lying to me," the kindergartner said immediately. "You are going to leave me the minute you help me."

"Of course not!" Alabaster protested fervently. "We would never do that! We'll even entrust you with something very special. We need you to show us where to find the King, so we're going to give you binoculars so you can look around and figure out in what direction. Spy Kid, give me the binoculars."

"Alab-"

"_Give me the binoculars,_" Alabaster insisted. Spy Kid reluctantly handed over his fancy binoculars. The kindergartner pressed them against his eyes, and looked around for a few moments, before pointing straight ahead.

"That way. I don't think it's too far from here," he confirmed.

"What is your name, young fellow?" Alabaster asked kindly.

"I'm Manny," the kindergartner told him brightly. "What are yours?" Alabaster briefly introduced himself and his cohorts.

"Let's go!"

Manny was right, the place where the King was being held hostage was not far from the safe house. It was not much, simply a couple blankets strung across trees. They hid behind a tree far from the campsite, and watched as the kindergartners danced around King Daniel and his bodyguards, who were tied up to the central tree. They chanted and sung and threw ripped up teddy bears at them.

"That's...horrifying," Emily admitted. "Taylor, text the others and tell them where we are."

"Where are we?" Taylor wondered. "I have no clue how we got here from the abandoned playground."

"We should have left a trail!" Spy Kid groaned in frustration.

"We'll have to take them on by ourselves," Jackson said in determination.

"That's scary," Manny said meekly.

"We could make peace with them again," Alabaster proposed.

"That won't work," Manny said immediately. "If you think the other kindergartners back at the playground are bad, that's nothing compared to these guys. They are absolute beasts. Only King Samuel can control them."

"King Samuel?" Emily asked in amusement.

"We'll need a diversion," Spy Kid said in glee. "This will be just like the spy movies. Who wants to do it with me?"

"I'm up for anything, man," Jackson volunteered.

"So, Jackson and I can distract the kindergartners and you lot untie the king and his bodyguards," Spy Kid devised immediately. "Manny,stay behind. We don't want you to get hurt by those guys, they hate your guts."

"They hate you too," Manny pointed out. "I can help you guys be a diversion,they'll go after me in an instant."

"I don't know..." Emily pondered.

"Let him," Alabaster said suddenly. Everyone looked at him in alarm. "_Dulce et decorum est. _He can go. If he is sure that is."

"I'm sure," Manny said toughly.

"Let's-let's move out!" Spy Kid yelled. He, Jackson, and Manny all ran towards the kindergartners at lightening speed, roaring and yelling. The kindergartners were easily distracted, and, waving their spears threateningly, chased after them. Taylor, Emily, and Alabaster nervously crept towards where the king and his bodyguards were.

"We're here to save you," Taylor whispered. "Hold still while we untie you." They were easily untied-kindergartners were shabby with knots-and were on their feet.

"Thank god that's over," King Daniel said. "Come on, men, we have a safehouse to attend to."

"The conflict is over," Emily said crossly. "Besides, shouldn't you have _helped _your subjects?"

"I'm a king," King Daniel said breezily. "You guys work for me, not the other way around."

"You're king because we made you king," Emily said logically."We could easily revolt."

"It is a monarch's duty to serve his subjects as his subjects serve him," Alabaster said sternly.

"I guess..."King Daniel said awkwardly, not used to being spoken like this, especially by kids that were younger than him. "Actually, no. I don't. Talking to your king so insolently will result in a trip to the dodgeball wall immediately." Though dodgeball had long since been banned at 3rd Street school, the dodgeball wall was referred to itself as such for its former purpose. Now, the punished were pelted with soccer balls rather than dodgeball balls.

There were immediate moans around.

"Wait-what happened to the other three?" Taylor suddenly whispered sharply.

"They ran that way," one of the bodyguards said, pointing to the left.

"We need to go find them!" Emily shrieked.

"We can take care of them, m'am," the head guard said, looking impressed with himself.

"Shut up," Taylor snapped. She and Emily ran in the direction the bodyguard pointed at, and the boys immediately hastened to keep up. They soon saw Manny, Spy Kid, and Jackson, who had all climbed up a tree, the kindergartners screaming at their feet and throwing spears up at them.

"Take them," King Daniel ordered in a low voice. The bodyguards ran up to the kindergartners and easily swung them over their backs like potato sacks with one arm. With the other, they removed their spears. It was oddly normal for them. Emily and Taylor got hold of the two remaining kindergartners, and carried them as if they were babies. Spy Kid, Manny, and Jackson cautiously climbed down from the trees.

"Thank god this whole mess is over," Emily said as they arrived at the playground, and released the kindergartners. King Daniel returned to his throne, his bodyguards fiercely watching him. Isabella the fan girl wearily returned to her post, but the students were hyper from their experience, and decided to abandon the usual sitting around.

"CAGE RACES STARTING NOW! RACERS MEET UP AT THE SHARP ROCKS!" Milo Greene yelled at the top of his lungs. Spy Kid and Jackson ran over to participate.

"That was really cool, Alabaster," Taylor said shyly. "When you made peace with the kindergartners, and everything." Alabaster gave her a look of surprise.

"Th-th-thanks," Alabaster stammered. "I mean, I greatly appreciate your kind sentiments," he covered up. "I think some of my classmates were disappointed at the loss of potential violence."

"They're just idiots," Taylor insisted. The two wandered off together, conversing, and Emily watched them in great surprise as they did so. Taylor never came across as genuinely friendly, her brand of "nice" being sickly-sweet, fake, and nauseating. Yet, here was a genuine, real girl. Emily soon became so distracted in watching the pair she did not hear the footsteps getting louder as the person got closer.

"Emily!" Lisa barked. Emily wheeled herself around and examined her best friend. Her face looked worried and scared, and she was panting, probably because she had run over to her.

"Lisa!" Emily said automatically.

"I have something really important to tell you."


End file.
